Trump says deal on data centers will lower electricity prices as tech
companies vow to cover costs
[March 05, 2026] By
JOSH BOAK and MATTHEW DALY
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump invited technology companies to
the White House on Wednesday to commit to developing their own power
generation as he tries to ease tensions over the cost of electricity
used by data centers to develop artificial intelligence.
“They need some PR help because people think that if a data center goes
in there, electricity prices are going to go up,” Trump said. “It’s not
going to happen.”
The “ratepayer protection” pledge touted by the president comes as
affordability has become a top concern for an American public wary of
the possibility that the AI build out could lead to higher utility
bills. Trump first announced the pledge during his State of the Union
address last month, but provided few details
Communities across the nation have seen a backlash against data centers
over fears about rising electricity prices and concerns about pollution
and water consumption. Opposition to rising power prices was also a key
factor in Democratic wins last year in elections in states including
Georgia, Virginia and New Jersey.
Trump has sought to deflect public concerns about AI, seeing the
fast-evolving technology as crucial for the U.S. to attract foreign
investment and maintain its economic and military prowess. But it's
unclear whether the commitments will meaningfully shield Americans from
higher electricity prices that have climbed 6.3% over the past year,
according to the Labor Department's Consumer Price Index.
The president stressed that he understands that demand for energy will
triple by 2035 largely because of AI, meaning that the U.S. needs to
dramatically increase its construction of power plants. Construction
spending on power generation jumped in 2022, but it has drifted slightly
downward after peaking in October 2023, according to the Census Bureau.
Trump has also sought to cancel wind power projects while elevating coal
— which contributes to climate change — as a source of energy.
The companies committing to the pledge included Google, Microsoft, Meta,
Oracle, xAI, OpenAI and Amazon.
Under the terms of the pledge, the companies agree to build or buy new
sources of power generation for their data centers and cover the expense
of infrastructure upgrades. The companies could also sell excess power
generation to utilities for public consumption, in addition to
negotiating separate rate structures with public utilities and states,
ensuring expenses are not passed on to consumers.
They also commit to making backup generation available to prevent
blackouts in times of emergency, and to hire locally for their data
center build out.
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President Donald Trump holds up the Ratepayer Protection Pledge
after signing it in the Indian Treaty Room of the Eisenhower
Executive Office Building on the White House complex, Wednesday,
March 4, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
 Energy experts have expressed doubt
that promises by the tech companies can slow down fast-rising
electricity prices. While Trump said the pledge would force tech
companies to produce their own electricity, the deal is likely not
enforceable at the federal level, experts said. Electricity supplies
are mostly regulated at the state level and managed across regions,
using market structures that vary across the country.
The voluntary agreement has no enforcement mechanisms and ratepayers
have no way to verify whether tech companies keep their promises,
said Lena Moffitt, executive director of Evergreen Action, an
environmental group.
“Now that energy prices have skyrocketed due to his corporate
polluter-first policies, Trump is trying to cover up his mistakes
with a photo op,” she said.
But the Edison Electric Institute, a top lobbying group for the
power industry, said the ratepayer pledge would help ensure data
centers pay their fair share even as they use enormous amounts of
electricity.
“We appreciate President Trump’s focus on ensuring that our nation
can drive innovation while also protecting Americans who need
affordable, reliable energy,” said Drew Maloney, the group’s
president and CEO.
Still, the pledge speaks to Trump's style of striking deals rather
than crafting policies.
Jill Tauber, vice president of litigation for climate and energy at
Earthjustice, said that actual laws and regulations needed to be in
place rather than a signed pledge of unclear legal value.
“Data centers are increasing costs and pollution for communities
across the country,” Tauber said in a statement. “More than a
pledge, we urgently need strong policies and protections to ensure
that data centers pay their way, disclose and mitigate their
impacts, and are powered by clean energy.”
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